It Takes a City
by Oparu
Summary: John and Elizabeth need a moment away from baby. Team babysitting ensues. Some RodneyKatie.


"Got it?" John asked impatiently as he watched Elizabeth expertly tuck her breast back into her bra. Biting his lip as he watched her maneuver the soft flesh, he imagined his own fingers instead of hers and sighed. "Because, I could definitely help you out there, if you need it--"

The look on his face must have been priceless because she started to laugh as she passed over the squirming body of their son. At thirteen weeks, Jonathan Sheppard Weir was several chubby handfuls worth of baby with dark, permanently mussed hair. On it's good days, Jack's hair was curly, but this was not one of them. Holding his son in the carry that reminded John of a football, he looked over his shoulder towards the mess hall from their spot on the balcony.

"Okay, he has a clean diaper, and he's fed and he should be ready to sleep," John ran through the list as if it were a preflight checklist. "Who gets him?"

Elizabeth had to fight her giggles. Normally she wouldn't have, but something in the nonstop marathon of parenting a city and raising a child had to give. Today, it was her sense of humor and John couldn't help smiling. "I'd start with Rodney," she suggested. "That way by the time he's unreasonable, Teyla can take him."

"Hear that Jack?" John teased his son as he flipped him up to his shoulder. "You're going to Rodney--" he continued to tease as he bounced his son into the mess hall and looked for the hapless scientist. Rodney was between Katie Brown and Radek and speaking very excitedly about something.

It made his hands a very tempting target for a baby.

John snuck up behind him and carefully dumped his son into Rodney's hands.

"Wait, stop!" Rodney started to protest as he stared at the deep blue eyes of the baby. "You can't just--"

"Rodney," Katie admonished him as she reached for one of Jack's little hands and cooed. "You did offer to babysit."

"I meant in the future," Rodney struggled to save himself as Jack smiled at him with empty gums. "Maybe when he can speak and has an instruction manual--"

"Hold up his head," Jen corrected as she joined their table. "Keep him level, there you go."

Rodney stared helplessly at her but she shrugged, her hands full of her dinner.

"He likes you," Jen continued with a grin. "He can't take his eyes off you."

"I think she's right Rodney," Katie joined in with a soft smile. "He's staring at you."

"Maybe he's just terrified," Rodney complained as Ronon flopped into a chair next to them. "He's been abandoned by mom and dad in the hands of someone who knows nothing about his kind--" Stopping suddenly, he stared at Katie. "He likes me?"

"He does," Ronon muttered around a mouthful of bread. "He doesn't know what you're saying so he can't dislike you yet."

"Oh funny," Rodney shot back as he looked for John and Elizabeth. "Where did they go? Did they just?"

"Strategic retreat," Ronon answered as he finished his first cup of tea and reached for more. "Something about a movie."

Jen and Katie shared a look and Ronon started to grin as Rodney looked lost.

"What movie? John didn't tell me he had any new DVDs," Rodney started as everyone else started to giggle. Jack grinned at him with the same enigmatic baby smile. Even the kid got the joke, it seemed. "Did he get something in mail call?"

"Star Wars," Katie answered finally almost blushing as she did. "They were going to watch Star Wars."

"But he's already seen it!" Rodney protested as he stared from the baby in his hands to his dessert and back at the baby. "I mean, it's possible Elizabeth hasn't, but even with her it's highly unlikely. I mean, everyone's seen Star Wars."

"I believe that is the point," Radek interrupted as he reached over and procured Rodney's ice cream.

"Did he get chocolate?" Ronon asked as he reached his spoon towards the bowl. Radek nodded and together they started demolishing Rodney's ice cream.

"Hey!" Rodney's sharp protest made Jack loose his smile and the baby started to stare at Rodney with new fear. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" Rodney hurried to apologze as he bounced the kid a little in his hands. "Don't cry, don't cry, don't cry- it's okay! I'm happy, see!" When he smiled the baby smiled back and the crisis was averted for the moment.

"I think he's actually pretty good with babies," Jen decided over her pasta as Rodney's pathetic stares at his ice cream grew comical. "Don't you?"

Katie beamed at her boyfriend and Rodney was too intent on not letting Jack see him stop smiling to notice. "He is rather cute," she agreed. Her voice set off a panic in Rodney and he quickly pushed the baby over to Radek. Obediently accepting the baby, the Czech let Ronon take what was left of the ice cream as he babbled to Jack in Czech.

"Don't lie to the kid and tell him you're smarter than me," Rodney warned as he made a grab for the ice cream. Ronon held it back with one hand for a moment before dropping it back on Rodney's tray.

Staring in frustration at the empty bowl, Rodney sighed and got up to get himself some more. "Anyone else need anything?"

"More coffee?" Katie requested sweetly as she held up the empty pot for him.

"Where's Carter?" Rodney complained as he looked around the mess hall. "She should really be just as forced into this baby-watching slave-hood as the rest of us."

"I think she was with Teyla," Ronon offered as he reached for and accepted baby Jack from Radek. The infant was starting to fuss and Ronon stood, lifting the tiny baby over his head and making him squeal and stare in amazement at the room. "Something about Charin walking."

Little Charin was nearly a year older than Jack, but like Teyla she already seemed to have an ability of comprehension while beyond her year of life.

"And we're missing it?" Rodney complained as he stayed away from the ice cream that much longer and watched as Ronon brought Jack back to his chest and kept him there like a trophy balanced in one huge hand.

"I'm sure you'll see it soon," Katie placated him as she stood up and took the pot to get her own coffee. "I will get you ice cream," she promised as she kissed Rodney's cheek. Radek smirked into his food and Jen started to laugh as she worked on her own ice cream.

"Looks like you'll be next," Jen teased as she shared a glance with Radek. Ronon was grinning too as he kept Jack entertained with the light flashing off one of his knives.

"Next for what?" Rodney wondered as he looked around nervously. "To get ice cream?"

"For one of those," Radek pointed out as he tilted his head towards baby Jack in Ronon's hands. "We're starting to lay odds in the lab, if you'd like in."

"Fifty," Ronon offered immediately as he let Jack suck on the tip of his finger.

"No, you can't be serious," Rodney protested as he stared across the room at Katie's back. "She doesn't, I'm not, we're not, I mean, we're not yet and maybe we could be, but--" Dropping his eyes helplessly to his feet her turned back to Jen for reassurance. "A baby?"

"They're kind of fun," Ronon answered firmly, keeping Jack busy with his fingers. "Let 'em get bigger and they're really fun."

"But I can't, I shouldn't, I'm not, we're not ready--" Rodney turned around desperately and nearly walked into Katie. "Are we?"

"For coffee?" Katie asked innocently as she sat back down at the table and poured him a cup. "Sit down, Rodney," she insisted.

Ronon chuckled and Radek looked too amused to speak.

"Katie," Rodney started weakly looking like he'd been just told he was going to die and the very thought of it made him nauseated. "Do you want to have a baby?"

Ronon nearly spat coffee through his nose. Radek yelled something in amusement in Czech. Jen stopped chewing and reached for her cup so she could listen.

For her part, Katie Brown started to smile. then her eyes teared up and a brilliant smile lit her face. "Rodney, I think you'd be an amazing father--"

She didn't get a chance to finish before he grabbed her hands and glared at her as if she'd just incorrectly identified Pi. "You do?"

"Yes, Rodney," Katie offered as she lifted his hands to kiss them. "Someday, if we decide we're ready, I'd love to have a child with you."

"I-" Rodney just opened and closed his mouth slowly, like the air had a strange taste to it he'd just figured out. "I-"

"One hundred," Ronon said, increasing his offer as Radek nodded open-mouthed to effectively end the bidding.

When Elizabeth and John came back, her hair was a mess and his was worse than usual. Her dark curls were strew haphazardly around her head, and his cowlick had moved backward a few centimeters and turned upside down. John's t-shirt was untucked and the top button of her black sweater was still undone. Their lips were red and John's arm was solidly around her waist.

Rodney and Katie were still talking, blissfully in hushed tones, by themselves by the water. Jen and Teyla were watching Charin walk from chair to chair in the mess hall. Radek was playing chess with Evan and the major actually seemed to have the upper hand for once. Ronon had his feet up on the table and was slouched lazily back in his chair. One arm cradled the sleeping baby Jack against his leather-clad chest and the other had a pad of new weapons schematics open.

"Hey," Ronon offered as he looked up and saw them. "How was the movie?"

Elizabeth licked her lips and smiled gratefully. John just looked like he'd been finally allowed to drive the fastest ship in the galaxy. "Thank you," Elizabeth offered as she got closer to him.

"I'll keep him a bit more," Ronon offered as he kicked his cup over to his free hand. "Go get a drink or something."

"You're sure?" John asked shyly.

"Yeah," Ronon murmured as he took a sip. "Aren't I always telling you? I can manage any situation you can, Sheppard. Now, get out of here and take the time to watch your movie properly. Or, you know."

John patted his shoulder. "We owe you buddy," he sighed squirming as he felt Elizabeth's hand slip down to his butt.

"Actually, I'm going to be pretty set after tonight, so," Ronon paused grinning wolfishly. "This time it's on me. Now get out of here for at least another hour."


End file.
